2008/03/09

I always have ideas for products I would like to have. Usually they are far too difficult for me to create on my own and I find myself just dreaming. I am not particularly creative, but I think I have a nack for taking ideas and combining them in ways that haven't been done yet (or haven't been told to me yet, as the case may be). It's for this reason that I love to learn about new technologies. I think I became a programmer for this reason, too; not because I love programming, but because I want access to the tools to make the things I want. It is also because of this that I am not a good professional programmer. I see programming as a useful tool, but nothing more. I don't go out learning languages and researching what's new unless it is something I think is really ground breaking. I'm really glad I realized I am not meant to be a professional programmer before I wasted too long doing it.

Anyway.. lately I've been noticing a few tendencies in mapping and image technology. I predict that within just a few years, we'll be able to tell our phone where we want to go and see real time seamless interactive walk-throughs. I think this could be done almost immediately if it weren't for the fact that the two technologies that are needed are owned by bitter rivals. Imagine combining Google's street view with Microsoft's photosynth (TED demo). Then take a bunch of pictures and boom, you can navigate through anywhere in real time. Construction changed things? No pictures where you are? No problem, just be a good Samaritan and take some updated pictures! Phones like the iphone know where you are and can add that information to the picture easily, then upload it to flickr or something. The pictures automatically update the servers image of the area. Someday!

2008/03/01

I first took the political compass test in high school. I scored near the center but slightly to the lower left. My score has dragged further out in that same direction since then. Here's my position:

Economic Left/Right: -3.25Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.56

I think my biggest problem with the test is that it's hard for me to tell if I should answer what I think should happen in the real world or in an ideal world. Usually it's the same answer, but not always. I think it's important to take the results of tests like this with a grain of salt for that very reason. The way people react in real world situations and the way they think things should be are not always the same. Some might argue that you should vote for someone who has the same beliefs as you or lines up with you on the political compass, but others might say you should vote for who you think can more realistically win and help bring the countries overall compass toward your own.

I would be interested in knowing what scores other people get. Feel free to post in the comments!